Oops I Did It Again

My poor puppies. They have been so bored lately…only getting into trouble inside my head instead of on paper.

It’s my fault the puppies are so bored. I ended up getting Lyme disease again, and it totally wrecked my summer. I was surprised to find out I had it because my symptoms didn’t match the warning signs you are supposed to watch out for. Plus, the blasted tick was only on me for a few minutes. My understanding was that you couldn’t catch the disease in that short of a period of time. Well, it looks like you can if you’re immunocompromised.

When the doctor told me she thought I had Lyme, I said I was surprised. I told her this didn’t feel anything like it did the last time. She asked what it felt like last time. When I told her, her eyes got big, and she looked noticeably taken aback. “Wow,” she said, “you had a really bad case last time.” (Ha! I knew it. I knew I was sick even if no one wanted to take me seriously!)

I’ve been taking medication for the past several weeks, but I still have a bit to go. These antibiotics are so hard on me I feel like I might not make it to the end of the treatment. If you don’t hear from us for a while, it’s because the boys are keeping me company while I whine to them about how lousy I feel.

Better you than me!

You’re right, little puppy. Much better me than you.

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A good way to spend hot summer days is indoors reading Dream Our World! (Plus, proceeds help Murphy’s Biscuit Fund.)

Inside, Geordie and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun. There are a lot of hidden gems inside Dream Our World, and it is a joy for all ages. Treat yourself to a summer read that is both fun and educational!

Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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Not Feeling Well / Stolen Valor

Aw, what's wrong with you? Are you sick? Do you have a fever? No.

Then why did mom draw you with an ice bag and a thermometer?

Actually, I caught a stomach bug. Last night I had pudding poops and some got stuck to my fur.

My official title was “Geordie Stinkypoopyfur I”.

Who is this usurper to take my title?!?

Leave me alone. I don’t feel well. ☹️

I am presuming this is a stomach virus Murphy caught, but I don’t know for sure. The vet said if he isn’t feeling at least a little better by tomorrow I should bring him in. In the meantime, I am supposed to fast him. This is possibly harder for me than it is for him. I worry that he is going to think I am starving him like the hoarders did. (If mommy had tears, she would be crying right now.)

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Spring is nearly here! Flowers and butterflies will soon be everywhere. Bring some of that springtime joy into your home with this handmade Butterfly Quilt.

This handmade Butterfly Quilt could brighten your guest bedroom with a patchwork look reminiscent of the quilts Grandma used to make. The soft, cozy quilt would welcome your guests and help them to feel at home.

Handmade Butterfly Quilt, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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Gross Jabba & Doggy Mama

Hey guys, come take a look at t his! Ewww! That's disgusting!

Wait, you drew a Jabba the Hutt picture for a hair story? Not a fat joke?

Sadly those real gobs of hair keep falling out, and I’ve already lost about half of what I started with. I asked the doctor if Lyme’s were responsible for the hair loss since it caused so much pain to my head, but she said it was just the trauma of being sick.

Last night I was glancing over my hospital discharge papers. On them was a note about my blood pressure being HIGH at 144/77. (Normally mine is so low that it is too low.) I Googled whether Lyme’s can cause high blood pressure, and – no surprise- it can. The disease infects every organ and can affect the heart. The article I read said that the tiredness and fatigue that comes with Lyme’s is due largely to how it affects the heart.

Hmm, so if Lyme’s can alter the way the heart works, can it influence the appetite as well? I was curious because I find myself only wanting bland, unseasoned food lately. Off I scurried to Google that as well. While Lyme’s doesn’t cause an aversion to spiced or seasoned food, it can and does upset the GI tract. It can cause this lovely condition called “The Bell’s Palsy of the Bowel” where it can create some wicked bad constipation by weakening the muscles that move food through the intestines. Some people self-medicate for months before realizing that this is the result of Lyme’s and not something else. By the way, there is no reason that I bring this up. No reason at all. However, you may want to buy stock in coconut water and laxatives.

So, there is more than one reason I drew our dear friend Jabba today. I feel as disgusting as he looks.

Don’t look at me. I’m good at pooping.

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Come see what my boys have been up to by picking up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, they visit the museum of their dreams and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World is available from my shop at L Bowman Studios as well as Amazon and your local library!

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The Big Dress

What's with the maternity dress? I put on a few pounds when I was sick.

Normally someone doesn't gain weight when they're sick. Well, i threw myself a pity party when I was feeling bad.

How did a pity party cause you to gain weight? I had it catered.

I blame my mom for this. I mentioned to her that I could really go for a brownie or a piece of cake but I didn’t think I could open my mouth far enough to bite one. “Oh,” she said, “cakes and brownies smoosh up really easily. Smash, smash, smash and they are ready to eat!” Turns out she was right. Dip them in coffee, and they go down even easier. Sigh. When will I stop listening to my mom?

Huh? Did you say something?

I stopped listening to you a long time ago.

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To find out what more my boys do when they ignore me, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside Bitey and Toby view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World is available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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A No Bull(‘s Eye) Answer

Do I really have to wear this? Well, you wouln't eat the peanut butter.

After two long and painful months, I might finally have an answer to what happened to me. Northerners will be nodding their heads in “Wasn’t it so obvious?” gestures while southerners will shrug their shoulders at what we’re talking about. Evidently I am a textbook case of Lyme’s disease.

Lyme’s disease is a stupid disease carried by stupid ticks that travel on stupid deer that for some reason we are not allowed to slaughter when they come waltzing into our yards. I haven’t been to any exotic locations or hiked in the deep woods. I am mainly in the yard and walking along the road in this neighborhood. Somehow while pulling weeds or playing ball with my puppy, a stupid tick bit me and gave me this stinking disease.

These blasted things can be pretty small when they climb up on you.

I was completely unaware of the bite, and I never had the tell-tale bull’s eye rash we are warned about. It turns out that the Luchadora red rash with purple splotches I had is actually more typical of the disease than the bull’s eye.

I wasn’t the only one to get a tick borne disease in the yard. When Toby had his physical in April, we found out he has anaplasmosis. Toby got lucky. Although he has antibodies, he didn’t show symptoms. Mommy on the other paw…all the symptoms.

I told you I was special.

While northern dogs are now routinely vaccinated for Lyme’s disease, there is no vaccine for humans. When I asked the vet about this several years ago, she said that so far human vaccines just aren’t very effective. Treatment for Lyme’s is a course of antibiotics. I guess it is just easier to treat humans than to try to prevent them from getting sick in the first place.

Part of me is pissed at the way things went. If I had been able to see a doctor right away, I wouldn’t have had to go through months of misery (and exorbitant medical bills). I had a friend say something encouraging, though. She pointed out how much I learned from this experience that I wouldn’t otherwise know. That is true. I learned a lot of medical things, and I learned how to be annoying enough that people pay attention to you.

Nyah! Nyah! You can’t touch us!

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If you would like to help finance Toby’s and my campaign to rid our neighborhoods of Venison-on-the-Hoof, then pick up a copy of Dream Our World! At least part of the proceeds will go toward pressuring lawmakers into letting us sending these ~~game~~ vermin to deer-y Valhalla.

Come with Bitey and Toby to the Museum of the Imagination in Dream Our World where they view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun! Dream Our World (and other fine gifts) are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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Sick Puppy

Yesterday was a day or horrors for my little guy. For the second time in a month, Toby stepped on a bee. Well, I’m presuming it was a bee. We were walking in some grass, not even near clover or other flowers, when Toby jumped and started waving his paw around. As soon as he got stung, he started vomiting and having diarrhea. I filled 6 bags full of puppy stuff before I could even get him turned around to head back home. He suffered like that for 4 – 4 1/2 before he finally fell asleep. It was not the day either of us had planned.

I stepped on one of these creatures about a year ago. Whatever the stinging thing is, it hides under the grass and gets you when you step on it. Most would say these are ground bees, but my understanding is that ground bees live underground, not that they hide in the grass.

The good news is that Toby seems to be feeling better today. He is a bit tired, and his appetite isn’t quite what it normally is, but he is much more chipper. I was just wondering if anyone knows what stinging thing might be lurking in our grass. Or, what ( if anything) can you do for a pup who is having a reaction like this. My human doctor seemed to feel that the only bee sting reaction you need to worry about his anaphylaxis. Is the same true for pups?

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To find out what Toby likes to do when he is not suffering from being poisoned by nasty critters, pick up a copy of Dream Our World! Inside, Toby ad his big brother Geordie explore the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World, and other fine gifts, are available from my shop at L Bowman Studios.

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The “C” Word or The Winter of Our Death

No, not that C word.* Not even Christmas. I am afraid I have the other C word – covid. I haven’t had a test to make sure, but from my symptoms it would appear I have omicron. I guess from now on I will have to post using a Ouija Board or spirit box. My biggest disappointment so far is that the Other Side looks much like where I came from. I was hoping for more clouds.

This is the first time I have been sick in a while. The last time was shortly after Geordie died. (Remember those Fever Dreams?) I don’t know if Toby were still grieving or if he were too young to process my being sick, but this puppy will NOT let me out of his sight now. He insists we play ball or share food or hang out together at all times. He is fascinated and amused as my voice comes and goes. He acts as he’s never seen anyone cough before. It is hilarious. Also, I can get nothing done with him glued to my side.

Hey Mom, can we do something? Can we play ball? Wanna share a snack? I would really like to go for a walk. What do you say?

I have been curious if psoriasis might behave any differently if I were sick. People with autoimmune disorders are thought to have very robust immune systems that just get turned around and attack the body instead of invaders. I have wondered if my immune system had something constructive to do if it might stop attacking me. So far that seems to be happening. I no longer look as much like a burn patient, and my joints only hurt about half as much. Hey, I’ll take it.

If anyone has sent us Christmas cards, unfortunately we won’t be able to pick them up until after Christmas ’cause we’re not allowed out in public. We will still appreciate them, though!

Christmas card torn up by a naughty Cairn terrier puppy.

I like eatin’ ’em! – Toby

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It may be too late to shop for Christmas (and I can’t go to the PO to ship anyway. See above), but this would be a great way to spend that holiday loot that you know you’re going to get!

Dream Our World follows Bitey and Toby as they visit the museum of their dreams. If you haven’t read it yet, it is fun for all ages. (And Toby says it tastes delicious as well. I don’t know; I’ll just have to take his word for it.)

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*I do have a cousin who started chemo on Friday. If you have any room in your prayers for him, they would be much appreciated.

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Fever Dreams

I come upon a river of sandpaper and razor blades.

This water is no fun to drink.

Maybe if I lie on my other side, it will get better.

Hayricks with yellow circles.

(Not my picture.)

Take note of the hayricks!

The what? Haystacks?

Hayricks! Remember the Hayrick Protocol!

Gather the yellow circles. See how they give you strength? Grab them. Stab them with the fork.

Yes, I guess I do feel better.

Green and red sneeze

Splat! Morning arrives with red and green, but no Christmas. Soon, an entire laundry load of handkerchiefs. This shouldn’t happen to a woman. It is something teenage boys would enjoy – waving their gelatinous banners in arms held high while chasing little sisters around the house to hear them scream.

I raise my arm and stare at it. Crepey,..crepey… When did this happen? I can’t remember, but I keep staring.

Relax. You don’t have to worry. The cigarettes are legal now.

But cigarettes already were legal.

Relax! Don’t you feel better now that they are legal? The trunk of your car is filled with them. You can rest.

Two nights slip by so softly and silently I am not aware of their coming or going. It is bliss.

Cairn terrier sleeping in laundry

(Why does she get to cough, but I get yelled at for barking?)

Toby has stopped hiding my slippers and stealing my sandwiches. Now he keeps vigil at the door, waiting to save me from the fever.

I didn’t get the present I wanted. For my birthday, I wanted a masseur to travel in time to this moment to fix my leg cramps. I still hurt; I must not have gotten my wish.

Oh, and don’t forget the local dentist who spent $82,000 on two commercials only to generate a mere $2,400 in business.

Is that true?

Is any of this?

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Once again, this post is based on actual events.

I’ve been ill for nearly three weeks, and I am sick and tired (ha ha) of this stupid virus. For the first two weeks, Toby was an ornery little devil who caused a lot of mischief because it was fun. By week three when the fevers started, he sensed something was different. Now he sticks close to me and gets concerned if a coughing fit is too strong. It is really nice to have someone who cares. Geordie just used to yell at me when I got sick. Ha! Such a different fellow!

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To visit a dream world that is a lot more fun than the ones where I have been recently, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, Bitey and Toby visit the Museum of the Imagination. There they envision themselves into the famous works of art and make commentary on each piece without saying a word.

This book is difficult to do justice in its description It really is a sweet and charming book with plenty of humor. Readers from grade school age through folks in their 90s have all enjoyed visiting with the boys.

Dream Our World is available from Amazon.

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And So It Begins

For the final act of 2018, Toby managed to get into the bathroom and grab not just the end of the toilet paper but the whole roll. “Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw” went the Toby.

And how did 2019 begin? With Toby throwing up in his bed at 4:00 a.m. “Yark, yark, yark,” went the Toby. But, dog puke is auspicious, isn’t it?

And so begins our new year….

Spitting Cottonballs